The Nation Newspaper

Category: Friday

  • Language of worship

    Language of worship

    “To grasp the meaning of the world of today we use a language created to express the world of yesterday. The life of the past seems to us nearer our true natures only for the reason that it is nearer our language”.

    By Exupery, from his book: ‘Wind, Sand and Star’, (1939).

    Monologue

    Every celestial or terrestrial creature is like an exclusive enclosure with a special master key that can open it in a peculiar way. That master key, as far as human beings are concerned, is the effective but invisible substance called language. 

    Preamble

    In a clime, language is not just a means of communicating ideas and experiences to facilitate understanding, it is also an instrument of documenting events through which the occurrences of the past and those of the present are related to the future.  In another clime, language is the prima-facie symbol of any culture. A culture without   language is a culture without identity.

    Every language is primarily spoken either by words of mouth or by gesticulation. But it becomes converted into writing for the purpose of recording sounds and preserving history. Language is, in a nutshell, the foundation of all civilizations in all human eras. It is man’s greatest invention without which all other inventions would have been impossible.

    Analysis

       Whether in spoken or written form, language serves as the main intermediary among the races and tribes of mankind.

    Whether in the primordial or contemporary time, language has stood out as a distinguished entity that serves the same purpose in all eras throughout the epoch of history. The birth and death of humans; the rise and fall of empires; the migrations and settlements of races and tribes are all recorded chronicled in languages. Even some inanimate objects like stone, water and glass speak onomatopoeically sometimes to the admiration of man.  

    It is with language alone that every human thought germinates and is turned into reality from dream. Not only that, language is also the cultural law that governs the wild life, be it agro or aqua. The nature of language, its importance, its complexity and its role in human life are such that, this world would have been meaningless without it.  

    Allah tells us in Qur’an 49:13 thus: “Oh people! We have created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may interact with one another. Surely the noblest of you before Allah is the most righteous of you all. Allah is all-wise and all-knowing”.

    The idea of this topic arose from a question posed to me sometimes ago by a Lagos Muslim socialite. He said: “rather than observing Salat in Arabic language which we do not understand, why don’t we do it either in English or vernacular which we understand very well?” He cited the example of the Churches where Christians worship in various but understandable languages and concluded that such an innovation might bring more converts to Islam and more people to the Mosque. He did not stop there. He went further to advocate for reduction in the number of times we (Muslims) observe Salat daily saying that that might be ‘more realistic’ and ‘more convenient’ especially for busy and travelling people. You can see, from that question, the extent of naivety which ignorance is capable of conferring on its victims. Or how else will you judge a mortal being who wants to amend the constitution of his Immortal Creator? And our brother is not the only one with such a parochial idea. There are some others like him.

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    In my response, I asked the enquirer to tell me why Islam remains the fastest growing religion in the West today despite the worshipping by Muslims in ‘understandable’ languages in the Churches in that part of the world. I made a particular reference to Britain where Churches are sold to Muslims in scores to be converted into Mosques and asked him to tell me any religion he knew that was ever revealed in English language.

    I did not stop there. I also went further to ask him whether it was reasonable to let his employees work for only three days in a week instead of six days while he pays them fully for the whole week. I then took advantage of the glaring evidence of confusion on his visage to put burner in my fervour as a student of English language and tutored him a little on the fact that English which he parochially perceived as an ideal language was not original. I told him how England was colonised severally for centuries by various countries and empires including France, Germany, Italy and Scandinavia. I let him know that English only emerge as an adopted language from a combination of the languages of England’s colonial masters in the 10th century (A.C). I pointed out to him that not only about 9,700 words of the modern English language were borrowed from French and Anglicized but also that most of the clustered consonant words in English are either German or Scandinavian in origin. I cited examples of such words as ‘acknowledgement’, psychology, knight, pseudo, gnash, rhythm, solemn etc. There is also a great influence of some other Indo-European languages, especially from the Upper and the Lower Germanic on English language. Besides, I pointed it out that the country called Britain today, which is a combination of England, Scotland and Wales , is not a monolingual country as sometimes misconceived by most people. Other languages like Celtic and Welsh are still very much spoken in that country today, though restrictedly.

    I then settled him down to religion proper and called his attention to the original common language of revelation of the ‘Tawrah’ (Talmud) of Prophet Musa (Moses), the Zabur (Psalms) of Prophet Daud (David) and ‘injil’ (Bible) of Prophet Isa (Jesus) which is Hebrew. The Jews still worship in that language today.

    In countries like China, Japan, Korea and India, where religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto and Hinduism are in vogue, the languages of worship by the adherents are Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Hindu. And, in terms of numerical strength, no religion in the world today enjoys so large follower-ship as Buddhism which is closely followed by Hinduism because of the huge populations of China and India. Yet the worship in those religions does not go beyond their countries of nativity.

    In the West where Christianity holds sway, no single language was adopted for worship after the death of Latin which was the official language of the Roman Empire. While the Germans worship in German, the French, the Spanish, the British, the Americans, the Italians, the Swedish, the Danish, the Russians, the Poles, the Norwegians, the Portuguese and others, all worship in their respective languages.

    This means that no French or Russian man can worship with understanding in a Portuguese Church except he understands Portuguese language. This is not the case with Islam. The fulfillment of Allah’s global will for mankind is a universal reality today. That will is contained in Qur’an 21:107 thus: “We have not sent you (Muhammad) forth but as a mercy to the entire world. Say it is revealed to me that your God is one God. Won’t you submit to Him?”

    It is only in Islam, of all religions, that adherents from Brazil, Finland, Nigeria, Pakistan and Australia can easily walk into any Mosque in China or Japan or Saudi Arabia and worship jointly behind an Imam without any fear of language discrimination. And that is what makes Islam the universal religion that Allah wills it to be. This is made possible by Arabic language which is the language of the revelation of the Qur’an. In all other religions of the world, adherents, irrespective of their populations, do worship only locally according to their languages.

    To call for the abandonment of Arabic language in Salat, therefore, is to call for the reduction of Islam from a universal religion into a local one. Not only that, such a call is a way of advocating for the dismantling of global Muslim unity.     

    What our pitied socialite brother does not know is the fact that worshipping in Arabic which is the language of the revelation of the Qur’an is the main cause of antagonism against Islam by those who have lost the originality of their own religion. That “Allah is all-wise and all-knowing” as quoted above is not in vain. All divine religions were deliberately revealed in the languages of their ‘Messengers’. And no Messenger was sent to the entire world except Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

    Arabic, as a language, has become assimilated into Islam as a culture. As a matter of fact, it is with that language that the Muslims imbibed   the formidability and courage of resistance which enabled Islam to survive all intrigues, aggressions and intimidations of many empires through the centuries.

    As a culture, Islam remains irrepressible for two main reasons. One reason is that it is a spiritual rather than a physical nation with an everlasting ideology. Even if its adherents are conquered, the idea that makes that religion a nation can never be conquered because it is invisible. The other reason is contained in Qur’an 15:9 thus:  “It was ‘We’ (Allah) who revealed the Qur’an and it ‘We’ (Allah) who will certainly preserve it”.

    Formidability of a culture depends very much on the tenacity accorded its language by the speakers of that language.

    Sometimes a culture may get absorbed into another culture without losing its accompanying language. Sometimes, a language may be assimilated into another language even as the culture is retained. Islam has resistance for both. The early Muslim Arabs did not take only Islam to all conquered nations, they took Arabic, the language of the Qur’an as well. The only exception is Persia (now Iran) which was equally strong linguistically. Countries like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Algeria and Tunisia were not Arabic speaking until Islam spread to them.

    We have similar example here in Nigeria. The Fulanis, who, led by Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio, re-introduced Islam in its purified form to the conquered areas now called northern Nigeria, had to compromise their language in favour of Islam which was their culture. The Hausas, on the other hand, preferred to sacrifice their pagan culture in favour of their language. Thus, the combination of both has come to give the northern Nigeria a foremost cultural veracity that is almost second to none in Africa. Not only has Hausa language become an international language spoken in the media of most civilized countries, Shari’ah has also been imbibed as the Islamic cultural law of the region.

    Today, while most parts of the Southern Nigeria have enslaved themselves irredeemably to foreign cultures, the north gives a new hope of cultural renaissance to Nigeria and even Africa. From the cultural way the northerners dress and eat, from the way they insist on speaking Hausa language irrespective of where they find themselves, it is becoming clearer that adoption of that language in the UN is just a matter of time. Already, virtually all the countries that matter in the world today have Hausa programmes on their radio and television stations. And far from the self-deception of the southern people who want to eat their cake and still have it, the long expected African civilization may start from northern Nigeria. The numerical strength of that region is an added advantage.

    It is rather unfortunate that the southern Muslims have had to join non-Muslims in replacing their cultural language with the colonial language. The tragedy of this development is that while they are losing their own language, they are unable to grasp the foreign language for which they are craving. In both ways, they are the losers not only today but tomorrow as well.

    Prophet Muhammad (SAW) though counseled on the need to understand languages other than mother-tongues, he never preached the abdication of one’s own language.

  • Identity Politics versus National Development

    Identity Politics versus National Development

    Some thought leaders and well-meaning Nigerians are of the opinion that identity politics is the bane of our polity and development, and I agree. By identity politics, I mean a societal culture whereby the political, social, environmental, and economic dynamics are influenced and/ or determined by racism, tribalism, ethnic jingoism, religious extremism, chauvinism, and other forms of bigotry and parochialism. However, Nigeria and indeed any other Country or society will be better if they are able to overcome parochialism, ethnic jingoism, and other forms of identity politics.

     Global Perspective

    Identity politics has been part and parcel of the political evolution of the entire world. It is part of global sociology. Interestingly, rather than diminishing, identity politics is becoming a more prominent global reality. Certainly, identity politics has always been driving global, national, and subnational politics and socio-economic power dynamics from time immemorial, but more so in the past 60 years. Even though it is being hypocritically downplayed, we witness and experience it everywhere in public and private sectors, including our workplaces and communities. Like other parts of the world, identity politics is part of African culture. The current and historical political dynamics in almost all African countries are the stark reality of the global socio-political situation, which are the indications that national and global geopolitics will continue to be run along the lines of nationalism and protectionism rather than globalization, which in my view are other forms of identity politics.

     Accordingly, globally, we are seeing a reversal of the achievements made in the past 60 years of trying to break down the barriers of race, religion, ethnicity, prejudice, etc. We are witnessing what is happening in Gaza for the past over 50 years between the Israel and Palestine and the position taken by the global superpowers, especially the western powers, and even the middle-east power blocs, who play the ostrich when it comes to those interests that satisfy their strategic objectives, regardless of how inhumane and how horrible the situation is for the less fortunate countries, states, communities and/ or people. The same scenario is playing out in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Myanmar, etc. These hypocrisies in conversations and actions are amongst the reasons why I believe that the politics of identity will continue to drive political systems and the emergence of political leaders in societies and nations, including “democratic” societies/Countries.

     Identity politics hinders or destroys societies or national development, fosters polarization, disunity, inequality, and injustice, with the attendant negative consequences.  It narrows the view and progress of any nation or society. Therefore, in my view, in trying to address the issue of identity politics, from a strategic perspective, it is for us to see how we can bring what I call a “balance”, rather than trying to eliminate it or trying to pretend that it is the only problem, or trying to think that some people can actually just stop it. This is because politics of identity is part and parcel of our moral and societal fabric across the world, regardless of race, religion, and regardless of how old or how deep the so-called “democratic tenets” are. The politics of identity remains a key element, leverage or driver of political campaigns and the determinant of electoral victory, or attainment of political power even in the United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, etc.

     Consequently, if it is something we cannot do away with, then why shouldn’t we have a system that will manage the process for all of us? Even within the boundaries of countries of the superpowers or the top economies of the world, the politics of identity is what is driving those countries, whether they are at war or they are at peace. From the United States of America to the United Kingdom to Europe to the Middle East to the Far East, Africa, or anywhere else. The re-emergence and growing popularity of the right-wing political parties and power blocks sweeping elections across Europe is key evidence of the prominence of identity politics in the global scheme. Hence, the politics of identity is a key factor that determines the political direction of the entire world. Additionally, the return of President Donald Trump as the President of the United States of America (Trump 2.0) will further clear the doubts of those who think that identity politics is growing in prominence.

     Nigeria and the 2027 Elections

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    Identity politics in Nigeria is so strong that it cannot be overshadowed even by the power of incumbency at the subnational, state, or national level. It guides our political awareness, determines our political, social, and economic directions. A classic example is the fact that even though Nigerians are aware of the failures of political leaders at the federal and subnational levels. But because of identity politics, we ignore the mistakes or failures of our political leaders at our own peril. For instance, during the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan, and the tenure President Muhammadu Buhari, or the incumbent President Bola Tinubu, citizens will mostly to be sentimental and never complain or criticize the President, if he comes from their region, state, tribe or religion, even if they are eating from the dustbin or dying in droves. Conversely, citizens are also reluctant to celebrate or commend the President or Governor, even if he is performing well, if he is not of their region, state, tribe, or religion. It is even worse at the state levels, because in the States; the most of the people that are suffering the most are the people that are defending the state governors, no matter how poorly they perform. That is what is identity politics does to a society.

     The politics of identity is a topic of discussion in any political forum and any democratic process. The only difference is that in the more advanced democracies, it is done more sublimely/ hypocritically than in a country like Nigeria. So, to contextualize this perspective, to the buildup to the 2027 general elections, as we approach the mid-term of President Tinubu, I wonder if should we could easily de-emphasize or wish away identity politics. In fact, in my view identity politics will play a huge role in the 2027 general elections, more than ever before.

     It is highly likely that in the 2027 general elections, we will witness how identity politics may tip the dynamics even more than population. While population has been driving and determining political directions and electoral victories, whether it is in terms of official census numbers, which some citizens challenge its veracity or in reality where the numbers are actually true; political permutations and manipulations will ensure that identity politics will be a critical success factor for the incumbent or for those that want to upstage the incumbent in Nigeria at Presidential, State government, and even local government levels.

     Most times, for strategic or diplomatic reasons, we outwardly downplay the politics of identity only so as to give a sense of “unity and/ or “fairness” or maybe a sense of “justice. But the identity politics always manifests, especially buildup to and during elections, as it has been from time, only more so as the political evolution of Nigeria is becoming more and more complex rather than simplistic due to the failure of successive administrations to deliver the crucial political reforms and socio-economic development.

     Moreover, the politicians have recognized identity politics as a very important tool for electoral success, and political control, not just in Nigeria but in many countries across the world.

     Meanwhile, it is worthy of note that some countries like Singapore, Switzerland, etc., have achieved some level of political balance based on ideals like unity in diversity, properly domesticated political systems and structures, meritocracy, etc. Such achievements were also not without costly sacrifices that have remained indelible scars in their histories and evolution. While political idealism is more in the realm of theory; countries like Singapore and Rwanda has demonstrated that societies and countries can overcome identity politics and succeed. Therefore, it is essential that well-meaning and forward-thinking Nigerians should continue advocating for inclusivity, unity in diversity, proper domestication of political systems and structures that will suit our national peculiarities, meritocracy, etc., as the possible best ways forward.

     Way forward for Nigeria

    Change the Political system with a significant reduction of power from the center

    One of the best ways to dilute or neutralize the politics of identity in Nigeria is to change the political system and structure of the Country. Even though changing the political system and structure may not immediately eliminate identity politics, but it will certainly downplay it in the mid to long term, and will provide some level of balance in restructuring the political system of Nigeria from the current presidential system. This is because identity politics is even more pronounced at the local levels, and that is why thinking that we can wish away identity politics at the national level is only wishful thinking.

     In subsequent episodes of this Column, I will continue to espouse more with my views about identity politics, especially with regards to the 2027 general elections in Nigeria and some of the best ways to significantly downplay identity politics in Nigeria.

  • Details of Hajj (HAJJ)

    Details of Hajj (HAJJ)

    Preamble

    This is the season of Hajj. It comes up in the month of Dhul Hijjah every year. Hajj means aspiration towards a higher pedestal in spirituality. It is, divinely, a pillar of Islam made obligatory by Allah for Muslims who can afford it once in a lifetime. Hajj is an ordained pilgrimage and not a mere tourism. Thus, the visa issued to Muslims who perform Hajj annually is that of pilgrimage and not of tourism. Whilst pilgrimage is a spiritual exercise, tourism is a pleasurable journey.

    Similitude of Hajj

    The similitude of Hajj in the life of a Muslim is like that of pregnancy in the womb of an expectant mother. The experience may vary from woman to woman as the foetus in the womb undergoes various stages before reaching the stage of delivery. By the time the child is finally delivered, the mother feels a relief of her life while the child assumes a tabula rasa (clean slate) that makes him absolutely innocent.

    Spiritually, a pilgrim is like a newly born baby if he strictly performs Hajj as prescribed by Allah. But if he returns into the world of vanity after Hajj, he automatically becomes like a person in snow-white attire who finds himself in a palm oil market. Unless he spiritually guides his loins, he may immediately become a tainted person both in body and in soul.

    Rigours of Hajj

    Muslim pilgrims who are going on Hajj must be prepared to go through series of rigour both spiritually and physically. The rigour of getting the money with which to perform Hajj; the rigour of getting the travelling documents including visa; the rigour of taking care of the home front before embarking on the Holy journey; the rigour of boarding the plane with a sense of high risk; the rigour of going through the security checks at the embarkation point at the home of residence as well as the disembarkation point in Saudi Arabia;  the rigour of performing the Tawaf and Sa’y; the rigour of moving from Makkah to Mina on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah, then to Arafah on the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, and back to Mina via Muzdalifah on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah; the rigour of locating the tents at Arafah; the rigour of throwing the pebbles at the Jamrat in Mina on the three or four days known as Ayamu-t-Tashrik; The rigour of performing Tawaful Ifadah at the Sanctuary in Makkah after the first day of throwing pebbles; the rigour of shaving the head (by men) and slaughtering the rams by all; the rigour of performing the farewell circumambulation otherwise known as Tawaful Wida‘i all in the midst of millions of people can be too much to forget so soon  after Hajj.

    Whoever is not bothered by the money spent on Hajj should at least be bothered by the various stages of the rigour involved including that of visiting Madinah. To lose all these to the forces of Satan after Hajj is like losing one’s travelling passport after obtaining visa. The prayer of every genuine pilgrim is to retain the validity of Hajj forever.

     Conditions for Hajj Performance

    Performance of pilgrimage must be based on certain fundamental conditions. These include genuine intention and high spiritual standard. An intending pilgrim must have attained puberty. He must have been an ardent practitioner of the first four pillars of Islam: (Salat, Zakah, and Sawm) all of which are fervently based on faith (Iman). Hajj without these pre-requisites is like a tree without roots. Money is a major pre-requisite for Hajj but it is not absolute.

    Hajj, the last pillar of Islam shows very vividly, the similitude of what mankind will experience on the Day of Judgment. Looking at the unique way in which pilgrims dress for Hajj and how they assemble at Arafat leaving their luggage behind in Makkah, one will realize how ephemeral this world is.

    Purpose of Hajj

    The various stages of preparation through which pilgrims pass before arriving at Arafat are symbolic of our peregrinations in life as human beings. Like the Day of Judgment, Arafat is the climax of Hajj performance. Anybody who misses Arafat misses Hajj. But Arafat is not by physical appearance alone. It takes a combination of factors to participate effectively in that great assembly which serves as the climax of Hajj.

    For Hajj to serve its spiritual purpose in the life of a pilgrim, certain steps must be taken before leaving home. They are as follows:

    •Fine-tuning the first four pillars of

    Islam very sincerely

    •Packaging the intention to perform Hajj

    •Ascertaining the security of the way

    •Providing adequately for the family and dependants

    at home

    •Paying all outstanding debts

    including promises

    •Ascertaining the condition of health

    •Perfecting immigration procedures

    •Undergoing all necessary medical

    services including inoculation

    •Assuming a mood of humility like that

    of a servant approaching his Master.

    •Readiness to endure hardship and to

    tolerate fellow pilgrims’ attitudes.

    While admonishing Muslims on spiritual journey including Hajj

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    Prophet Muhammad once said: “Actions shall be judged according to intentions. Whoever embarks on a spiritual journey for the sake of Allah will be adjudged on that basis. And whoever bases his/her intention for pilgrimage on marriage or material gains should not expect any reward beyond that for which the intention is based”.

    The steps to follow in the performance of Hajj are as follows:

    The Miqat

    Miqat is the specified place for the wearing of Ihram dress. There are five of such places in all. But the one earmarked for pilgrims from Nigeria cannot be reached by pilgrims travelling by air. It is over-flown while crossing the Red Sea. What most Nigerians do therefore is to wear their Ihram dress in Jeddah which has now been adjudged right through a Fatwah. Thus, Nigerian pilgrims can now wear their Ihram dress on arrival at the pilgrims’ airport in Jeddah. However, pilgrims whose first destination in Saudi Arabia is Madinah have no problem with Miqat. Such pilgrims should just wear their Ihram dresses at the Miqat in Madinat.

    Tawaful-Qudum

    Tawaf means circumambulation of the Ka’bah. The very first Tawaf to be performed by any pilgrim on entering Makkah is called Tawaful Qudum (meaning welcoming circumambulation). It is performed before a pilgrim settles down in any residence. Tawaful Qudum is an obligatory Sunnah from which only residents of Makkah among pilgrims are exempted.

    Residence in Makkah or Madinah

    Most Nigerian pilgrims often seek their accommodations in Makkah or Madinah close to the Haram. This is to enable them to walk to from the Haram conveniently at the time of any Salat. To minimise pilgrims’ regular occurrence of missing their ways, they are provided with hand bands bearing the addresses of their residences. Pilgrims are therefore advised to wear such bands at all times to enable them show it to either the official Saudi Hajj guides or Saudi policemen when the road is missed. It is also important for pilgrims to always be with their identity cards provided by Nigerian Pilgrims’ Commission or private agents. This is to enable them to be identified in case of sickness, accident or even death.

    Movement to Mina

    Pilgrims’ statutory movement to Mina is on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah. Such pilgrims must spend the night of the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah in Mina where they must observe Salatus-Subhi of the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah which is Arafah Day before proceeding to the Plain of Arafah. Pilgrims must be ready to undergo some rigour in the process of moving to Mina from Makkah. The rigour which normally affects all pilgrims is engendered by limited time available for millions of   pilgrims who must move to that spiritual camp before the sunset on the day preceding Arafah day.

    Such movement must commence from Makkah and after Tawaful Qudum. There is movement to Mina from Madinah since there is no Tawaf in Madinah.

    The Day of Arafah

    All pilgrims proceed to the Plain of Arafat are advised to stay under their tents and concentrate on the spiritual activities that take them to the place. They must reach Arafat not later than mid day when Salatu-d-Dhuhr and ‘Asr should be observed combined. Anybody who is not at Arafat by mid day is considered not to have taken part in the assembly and therefore missed Hajj.

    Immediately after observing the combined Salatu-d-Dhuhr and ‘Asr the Imam who led the two Salat is expected to give a sermon. Listening to such sermon is as compulsory as giving it by the Imam. The great assembly of Arafat terminates shortly before sunset (Magrib) while the pilgrims return to Mina via Muzdalifah.

    Muzdalifah

    At Muzdalifah, pilgrims are expected to halt their journey to observe Magrib and ‘Ishai combined. They are also expected to pass the night there and observe the Salat-s-Subh of the following day before proceeding to Mina. Muzdalifah is adjacent to Mina and a walking distance to the Jamrat (the stonning place).

    Jamrat

    Stoning of the devils (Rajmu Jamrat) begins a day after Arafat and continues for the next three or four days that the pilgrims are supposed to spend at Mina. This exercise is obligatory and without it Hajj is considered incomplete except when and where a pilgrim is hindered by certain inevitable conditions. There are three points at which stones are to be thrown. Seven pebbles are to be thrown at each point on every one of the three or four days to be spent in Mina.

    While going for the pebble-throwing exercise, pilgrims are advised to take their pebbles along with them. On the first day of stone throwing, only seven stones are thrown at only one spot. On the subsequent three or four days, pilgrims are required to throw twenty-one pebbles each day with seven stones thrown at each of the three spots provided. These amout to 21 stones each day.

    Picking such pebbles at the point of throwing them is forbidden. All pebbles must have been picked before leaving the tent for the ‘Jamrat’ or on the way to the ‘Jamrat’. For pilgrims who deside to spend three days in Mina, the total number of pebbles to be thrown is 49 (7 for the first day, 21 for the second day and 21 for the third day). For pilgrims who choose to spend four days, the total number of pebbles to be thrown is 70. 

    Majzarah (Abattoir)

    Slaughtering of all sacrificial animals is done at the abattoir in Mina. Pilgrims do not need to bother themselves by going to the abattoir for the purpose of carrying out this compulsory obligation. They can simply buy the guaranteed ticket sold by designated Saudi agents. The ticket is the evidence that one has performed that duty. The slaughtering is done on behalves of the pilgrims by some authorised artisans who are paid by the Saudi Hajj authorities from the money paid for those animals. The animals to be slaughtered at Jamrat range from rams to camels. A pilgrim should slaughter one ram or more while seven pilgrims may combine to slaughter one camel or five of them may jointly slaughter on cow.

    Tawaful Ifadah

    For pilgrims who can afford to go to Makkah after throwing the first seven pebbles, it is good to perform Tawaf-ul-Ifadah. For those who cannot, the exercise can be deferred till the end of Tashrik.

    Pilgrims who have performed Tawaf-ul-Ifadah are free to shave their heads and change from their Ihram dress into civil or traditional dresses.

    The only reason for any pilgrim to go to Makkah from Mina during the camping period is to perform Tawaf-ul-Ifadah. No pilgrim should break camping rule by going to Makkah without performing Tawaf-ul- Ifadah. And after performing Tawaful Ifadah, no pilgrim should remain in Makkah or elsewhere without returning to Mina before sunset.

    With the completion of the camping days in Mina which is climaxed with Tawaful-Ifadah and the arrival of all the pilgrims in Makkah, Hajj has been completed except for Tawaf Wida‘i  otherwise called farewell Tawaf. That Tawaf is also obligatory.

    It is then left for pilgrims to decide whether or not to go to Madinah. Visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah is not obligatory. But it will be spiritually odd for any pilgrim to choose not to visit the Prophet’s Mosque before or after performing Hajj in Makkah and its environs.

    Conclusion

    Throughout the Hajj exercise, what should be uppermost in the mind of a pilgrim is the spiritual benefit. Hajj is made compulsory only once in a life’s time for those who have the wherewithal to undergo it and can satisfy the conditions attached to its performance.

    On arriving home finally, pilgrims are not expected to start organising parties in celebration of a successful Hajj performance as ignorantly done by some Nigerians. Maintaining Hajj is a necessity for those who know the value of doing that. Whoever is privileged to perform Hajj once should forever be grateful to Allah as no one is sure of getting another chance.

  • Rising insecurity and imperative of state police

    Rising insecurity and imperative of state police

    The resurgence of insecurity across the state of Nigeria, From Kebbi to Zamfara, to Katsina, to Niger and the recent unfortunate developments in Borno are very worrisome. Furthermore, insecurity has resurged in Plateau, and it is escalating in Benue. We are also witnessing pockets of insecurity in some parts of southern Nigeria. The unfolding scenarios have yet again brought the need for State Police to the front burner. For some of us who are proponents of state policing, I am again adding my voice to the need for this very important structural provision to be expedited and activated, as initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This very crucial requirement to bring about internal security in Nigeria should be fast-tracked as a matter of national priority. Undeniably, the number of boots on the ground of our armed forces across the strata and the services cannot, I repeat, cannot actually take up this insecurity effectively and efficiently, talkless of sustainability. As we all know, sustainability is key. The timeline that is required deal with legislation, activation of the policy and enhancement of national and state strategies, the hiring processes, indoctrination, tooling and kitting, salary and compensation package, welfare and assimilation of forces into the battlefield to make impacts are the reasons why State Police should be treated as a matter of a national emergency. States must immediately start strategic planning by recognizing that when and if the legislations are passed, they will be able to take necessary actions in their respective states and then hit the ground running to do all that is necessary to have internal security in their respective states as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I sense and note the concerns of Governors as they face the daunting task of providing security and safety for the people in their States, which is their core constitutional mandate.

     As it is today, the governors of the states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are only chief security officers of their states on paper. There is little or nothing they can do without federal intervention. The governors are at the mercy of the availability of resources to be deployed to the States by the President of Nigeria. Indeed, where a President has other priorities, then there is another issue to be dealt with. The political considerations, which are also of concern to most well-meaning Nigerians, that governors will abuse State Police, have taken a back seat considering the importance and the criticality of enabling all the state governors to have the powers to protect their states against threats and dangers, including natural disasters. Therefore, I am reiterating the support of this laudable move for constitutional review to activate state policing. We can ensure that the issues of funding and the issues of the framework that would de-risk this very important requirement, insulate it from abuse, and also ensure that it is done in ways and manners that will actually serve the purposes for which it will be promulgated.

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     The issue of funding for Security, whereby some states are struggling to pay salaries, is a matter of fact. However, the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Mr. Daniel Bwala, that some state governor ares not effectively utilizing their huge security votes to tackle insecurity, has also thrown on the front burner a very a credible and worrisome scenario whereby, if governors are being stingy with the security votes by pinching money to security forces to deliver such crucial mandates at such a crucial time then we will have even bigger issues even with the State Policing in place, because indeed adequate funding is a critical success factor for effective and efficient defense and security. That is why we are advocating as a matter of priority to offload state policing on the laps of governors as a strategic way of pulling out the security vote monies out of the pockets of governors who are not ready to deploy the huge amounts of money allocated to security votes for the purpose that the money should serve, by hiding under the guise that it is Mr. President or the Federal Government that should provide security across Nigeria. Because with the State Police in place, the governors must utilize allocated funds to fund state policing. State policing cannot just be a mantra. When promulgated, it will not be the responsibility of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to make provision in the budget to support state policing. Accordingly, that will also put governors on their toes. And by that, Mr. President and Nigerians will also have the full right to challenge governors to do the needful.

     Indeed, if State Police is activated, the numbers of boots on the ground in the states that will providing those interventions will complement the boots on the ground at the federal level and allow the Nigerian Armed Forces, to refocus on their core mandates of providing territorial integrity, defending Nigerians and providing internal security Nigeria (in the case of the Nigerian Police Force). Of course, this change will be done in phases, such that the Nigerian armed forces will not immediately pull out of the states. The change-over will be part of the political of the overarching strategy of state policing that the governors I mean the armed forces will continue providing those support and intervention for a period of time after which they are weaned off the states and then there will be a layer as at whenever the federal interventions will be needed. But as the case is today, we are already in the second quarter of 2025, and the insecurity is escalating, negating all the laudable achievements of the administration, as it has done in previous administrations.

     If we don’t take the issue of State Police seriously and fast-track the process of legislation and have an executive process that will surely ensure expedient activation of this very crucial requirement to fight insecurity, Nigeria will be doomed. While we are at it, may I use this opportunity to again call on the federal government to significantly increase the number of armed forces boots on the ground. I know there has been an increase in the recruitment process of the Nigerian armed forces and the Nigerian police, but we need more troops in terms of the numbers and frequency of recruitment, training, kitting, indoctrination, salary and compensation package, welfare, and support after service. This is one of the most important imperatives required to beat the curve of the insurgents and to fight this highly fluid, volatile, guerrilla warfare with the insurgents and the terrorists.

     The Nigerian Armed Forces are performing exceptionally well given the resources available to them and the circumstances they find themselves in. However, it is an asymmetrical war that is almost becoming symmetrical. Because the terrorists are gaining ground. They are reviewing their strategy. They are getting more resources and logistical support for their onslaught in comparison to the Nigerian armed forces. This should be a food for thought for any well-meaning Nigerian. Indeed, the issue of homeland and national security is the core responsibility of governments at the federal and state levels. But it is also the responsibility of all Nigerians to support national security, because, together we stand on this and divided we will fall. This matter is beyond political affiliations, religious divisions, or ethnic sentiments. Therefore, I urge all of us to look at it from a unified lens and break the barriers of politics, ethnicity, and parochial sentiments to deal with this cankerworm. Definitely, terrorism does not recognize ethnicity, religion, tribal, or political sentiments. We are all victims of the situation. We are all faced with this multidimensional challenge, and I urge all stakeholders to move with the speed of light to dispense with this issue.

     When State Policing is promulgated, Nigerians will hold the governors to account to deliver their mandate. But I dare say again, the legislation should provide buffers and provisos to ensure that state governors who want to become emperors do not misuse the opportunity, and plunge their States and Nigeria at large.

     May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Increased telecoms tariffs and inconsistent quality service

    Increased telecoms tariffs and inconsistent quality service

    Four months ago (in January 2025), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a significant telecom tariff of 50%, which was implemented on 11th February, 2025. Some of the justifications given for the decision were due to rising inflation and foreign exchange volatility, resulting in higher operational costs for telecom operators. The objective of the approval of the increase is to ensure the sustainability of the industry. Accordingly, the NCC mandated that telecommunication companies (telcos) must improve their network quality within three months, with intensified scrutiny and heavier penalties for non-compliance. This condition was part of the tariff increase approval process. Consequently, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) insists that the “telecom tariff increase must result in significant service improvements”. Furthermore, the FCCPC and NCC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure robust consumer protection, fair competition, and the eradication of exploitative practices in the telecommunications sector.

     Nigerians and other telco customers have accepted the increase in telecommunications tariffs on calls and data. This is despite initial resistance by a lot of Nigerians and also the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), who at one point threatened to go on strike if the telecommunication companies did not return to old tariffs.

     However, while some of us were not against the increase in the telecommunications tariff, I believe that the very important issue of quality service delivery and actual value for money should have been the issue on the front burner. As it is, call drops, poor data connections, and incessant network downtime are continuing, without tangible sanctions or pay back to telco customers for call drops or data loss. Consequently, Nigerians lose Billions of Naira daily due to call drops, poor call or poor data network quality, and outright network downtimes without consequences.  These are the critical issues that I expect the NLC and all telco customers to focus on and push back on because telecommunication companies are not taking responsibility for service failures. This should no longer be acceptable!

     Nigerians should not be made to continue losing money without remediation or explanation by the service providers or the regulators as to why things should continue this way. This should no longer be acceptable, given the justification given to stakeholders in support of the increase in telco tariffs. If nothing is done by the relevant agencies of Government, i.e. Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCP), Nigerians will continue losing money with the attendant socio-economic impacts because life is almost now entirely dependent on telecommunication whether it is security economy, business, health, social activities, etc.

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     It is a fact that for about twelve years, the telecommunication companies did not increase their call and data tariffs. It is a fact that Nigerians have been facing brutal socioeconomic conditions, which have escalated in the last ten years. But suffice it to say that the latest increase in the tariff is huge. So, on one side, the telecommunication companies may say that the increase in tariffs is justifiable. However, the increase in the cost of living and the cost of doing business in Nigeria have affected all businesses, not just telcos. Of course, the cost of Diesel and other forms of alternative power, the cost of providing security to telecommunications base stations and other sites all add to the operational costs of telcos. However, the question is: “Over the years, have Nigerians been really getting actual value for the money they pay for the communication services (calls and data)? We all know that the service qualities we get from all the service providers, vis-à-vis the costs of data, are not up to par.

     In my view, and most Nigerians will agree with me, the service providers are making a lot of money on data without an empirical commensurate value to customers in terms of the quality of service, and also in terms of the throughput that customers should get. For example, if a person or business pays for 1GB of data, will they get the actual value for the money they pay for 1GB of data? And/ or if there are incessant downtimes or poor quality of service, are there remediations to cover for the poor service delivery, apart from periodic apologies? Indeed, the service providers will not accept apologies for even 1 Kobo less of the money for whatever service they provide!

     Therefore, NCC, FCCPC, the organized labor, civic society, consumer forums, and citizens should be more proactive in engaging the telecommunication companies to ensure that they provide services in Nigeria in line with best practices. So, I think there is a need to step up surveillance of service quality and consistent engagement to achieve best practices and outcomes. There is also a need for improved regulation enforcement. This is especially so given the fact that all the telecommunication companies have been making the highest revenue and profits in Nigeria, above and beyond other countries that they operate in on the entire African continent in the past 25 years. This is also even while taking cognizance of the income downturn they experienced last year or 2. Indeed, the over 20 years that they have been posting Billions of US Dollars in profit over-compensate the short-term losses. I therefore urge all the relevant regulatory institutions to do the needful, particularly in the area of the quality of service, and remediation upon failure. By the way, I wonder if we have empirical ways to determine that everybody is getting value for their money for the telecommunication services.

     In fairness to the telcos, we know that they’ve been making losses recently due to increased cost of operations, as I mentioned earlier, but having been allowed to increase the tariffs, they have no excuse for providing sustained, inconsistent service quality. My advice to the NLC and other advocacy groups is that while the conversation is going on, the focus should be on the quality of service we are getting, on data, and on calls. Key areas to clarify should include: “What are the values we are getting for each service. I believe that remediations should be given by the service provider and/ or penalties should be imposed on the service provider for poor service, as some of the ways to ensure that customers get the best value for money. Customers have the right to challenge the telcos through the appropriate mechanisms/ channels if they don’t deliver value as promised. Customers also have the right to put the NCC and FCCPC on their toes to ensure that when we pay N100 Naira for a call or data we get value for our N20 Naira.

  • The Hornet’s Nest

    The Hornet’s Nest

    “Conscience is an open wound; only the truth can heal it”. 

    By Usman Dan Fodio

    Preamble

    This article is not new. It was first published in this column in 2013 as a reaction to an outburst of some Nigerian political demagogues whose aim was to aggravate the confusion in the land. It is being repeated here today due to popular demand by ardent readers because of its relevance. Here it goes:

    Nest, to the hornet, is a sanctuary. Whoever wants to stir it must be ready for some painful stings. It was the words of Nigeria’s lotus eaters against those of the former American President, Bill Clinton, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, sometime in December 2013 where the latter was the guest speaker at ThisDay’s award ceremony. The theme of the lecture was something like ‘Causes and Solution to Insurgency and general insecurity in Nigeria’.

    When Bill Clinton opened up on the causes of insecurity in Nigeria, particularly concerning Boko Haram, hardly did he realise that he was stirring the hornet’s nest. As a man who knew because he was in a position to know, Clinton emphatically identified poverty as the main cause of insecurity in Nigeria. He was frank in canvassing some ways by which Nigeria could effectively deal with Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of insecurity in the country without caring about whose ox might be gored.

    Among the ideas he suggested as solution were poverty alleviation, thorough education at all levels, equitable distribution of wealth and job creation for the nation’s teeming unemployed youths. Highlighting some desired programmes urgently necessary for curbing the spate of violence and general insecurity in the country, Clinton said:  “You have to somehow bring economic opportunity to the people who don’t have it. You already have all these political problems — and now violence  — that appears to be rooted in religious differences as well as all the rhetoric of Boko Haram and others, but the truth is that poverty rate in the North is three times that of Lagos”.

    Economic Management

    Counseling on the need to re-design the country’s economic management to the delight of all and sundry while pointing out that “too much inequality” was capable of limiting growth and opportunities among the citizens of a country, Clinton stressed that only a redistribution of wealth would go a long way to address the prevalent violence and insecurity in Nigeria. He went further to say: “You have about three big challenges. First of all, like 90 per cent of the countries who have one big resource, you have a number of ways with your own money. It shows you have different ways. Now you are at least not wasting the natural gas, you are developing and selling it through the pipelines. You have to do better job of managing the natural resources…..”

    “Secondly, you have to somehow bring economic opportunities to the people who don’t have. This is not a problem peculiar to Nigeria. In almost every place in the world, prosperity is heavily concentrated in and around urban areas. So you have all these political problems for now even violence. There appears to be political and religious differences and now, the rhetoric of Boko Haram and all that. You have to build a powerful state and local governments as well as a national policy that works along. If you just keep trying to divide the power into loosening strategy, you have to figure out a way to devise a strategy that will help share the prosperity.” The President-Elect may find some of these ideas useful in his blue print on governance in Nigeria.

    Clinton then went further to advise that education should be used as a tool to tackle poverty among Nigerians, saying that if citizens were well educated they would be economically empowered and hence have less inclination towards violence. He added that: “Nigeria, which earns billions of dollars from her oil industry and is a major supplier to the US, must not take a “divide the pie” approach towards attacking poverty”. He therefore advised that governments at all levels needed to tackle youth unemployment which, according to him, is a major source of instability across the world.

    Bill Clinton was not the first experienced international figure to make such truthful but painful comments about Nigeria and her style of governance. As far back as January 27, 2010, the former US Secretary of State, Mrs. Hilary Clinton, who incidentally is the wife of Bill Clinton had spoken in the same manner about Nigeria in Nigeria. And the reactions that followed her statement were not in any way dissimilar from those that greeted Bill Clinton’s statement of 2013. While the wife spoke in official capacity, the husband spoke in private capacity. But the coincidence in their speeches was not just in the similarity of their thoughts but also in the similarity of the reactions that greeted both speeches. Speaking in blunt terms at a “town hall” in a meeting with Nigeria’s State Department officials in Abuja Mrs. Hillary Clinton said:

    “….The most immediate source of the disconnect between Nigeria’s wealth and its poverty is a failure of governance at the federal, states and local levels … Lack of transparency and accountability has eroded the legitimacy of the government and contributed to the rise of groups that embraced violence and rejected the authority of the state.”

    Government’s Failure

    “Nigeria”, she continued: “Africa’s biggest energy producer and second-largest economy, “faces a threat from increasing radicalization that needs to be addressed. Describing corruption in Nigeria as unbelievable, she reiterated that the government’s failure to deliver basic services helped foster extremism in young people…adding that: “The failure of the Nigerian leadership over many years to respond to the legitimate needs of their own young people, to have a government that promoted a meritocracy, that really understood that democracy can’t just be given lip service, it has to be delivering services to the people, has meant there is a lot of alienation in that country and others”. She lamented poor governance and deteriorating living conditions which she said made Nigeria’s disaffected young people ripe targets for militants looking for recruits to attack the West.

    Substantiating her assertion, Mrs. Clinton said, when she met with a group of Nigerians in the capital city of Abuja, “people were … standing and shouting about what it was like to live in a country where the elite was so dominant, where corruption was so rampant and criminality was so pervasive”. And “that”, according to her, “is an opening for extremism that offers an alternative world view”. After all, poverty knows no tribe, religion, gender or age. It cuts across all strata of human life. That was the idea imbibed by one time Chinese leader, Mao Zedong, in the 1960s, which came to transform China into a formidable nation today.

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    Official reaction

    However, rather than pontificating on Mrs. Clinton’s analysis some members of the then ruling party virtually told her to shut up and mind her own business by leaving Nigeria alone. The arrogant resentment particularly came through the mouth of the then Publicity Secretary of the party, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, who, in a swift statement, said Mrs. Clinton’s remarks were baseless.

    In his words: “Although the ‘ruling party’ saw Mrs Clinton’s “visit to Nigeria as a further expression of the age-long strong cordial diplomatic relations between both countries, we are at the same time concerned that some of her remarks are not only way off the mark but also based on misinformation. Her sweeping statement on what she calls a ‘failure of leadership’ does not correspond with the reality of present day Nigeria where a committed leadership operating within the realm of the rule of law holds sway”.

    Professor Alkali said the ‘ruling party’ found Mrs. Clinton’s “condescending statements against our country and leaders not contextualised,” adding that she “seems to have taken her briefs from individuals or groups and other failed politicians who have an axe to grind with the government of the Federal  Republic of Nigeria”.

    He added: “It is a fact that the present administration inherited a lot of challenges that were entrenched in the body polity for a long time since assumption of office in May 2007, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has demonstrated a rare but firm commitment to right the wrongs of the past, using constitutional instruments in order to strengthen democratic governance in the country”.

    Observation

    Despite leaving a bad taste in the mouth, Alkali’s statement did not bother Mrs. Clinton who knew Nigeria better than the respondent Nigerians. Her reaction was a reminder of a Yoruba adage which says ‘a dog that refuses to respond to the warning whistle of the hunter is surely destined to stray into permanent perdition’. That adage has now proved to be a prevailing destiny on the then so-called ruling party that took impunity for law.

    Were Bill or Hillary Clinton a Muslim, some fanatics especially in Nigerian media would have characteristically accused him/her of wanting to ‘Islamise’ (sic) Nigeria just for telling the naked truth. However, to the great delight of reasonable and patriotic Nigerians, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), in a statement signed by its then President, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), said it wished “to align itself with the statement credited to the US Secretary of State the summation of which was that corruption, amongst other factors, has caused failure of governance in Nigeria”.

    Akeredolu concluded that: “We cannot agree less and note that President Yar’Adua admitted that Nigeria was facing challenges in its war against corruption and bid to reform its electoral system, which has underscored failure of governance at the federal, state and local government levels,” it said, adding: “This intervention could not have come at a better time than now when agents of the government are on the prowl, deploying viciously the weapon of blackmail against the leadership of the NBA who has long identified this and continues to clamour for change”.

    He continued: “Secretary Clinton having reiterated the position of the Bar, it would, perhaps, not be out of place for those who are quick to stand logic on its head to satisfy greed, to conclude that the top diplomat, being a lawyer, must also belong to Action Congress or any of the opportunistic organisations dubbed parties.”

    Nothing is strange

    It is not strange therefore, that the comments by Bill Clinton in 2013 drew similar parochially partisan reactions from those who are benefitting directly from the then ongoing rot in the country. It seems that politics in Nigeria is like an animal carcass on which idle vultures must feast without caring about the pollution which the odour there from would cause to the environment. Even a blind person can perceive the poverty in Nigeria or smell its odour. It is rather an added assault on the public to say that Mrs. Clinton in 2010 and Mr. Clinton in 2013 must have been briefed by certain individuals who were antagonistic to the ruling government. Such a statement could only have come from people of feeble minds who exemplified the ineptitude of Nigeria’s government of the time.

    In retrospect

    On December 22, 2012, the Nigeria Muslim Forum,  UK, held its 22nd Annual Winter Conference at Stamford Court, University of Leicester. At that conference, retired General Abdur-Rahman Dambazau delivered a paper that electrified the Hall. The paper which was entitled ‘Poverty Alleviation, Security and Stability’ addressed the Nigerian situation from social, economic and political points of view. In the paper, he made the meaning of poverty clearer, using verified statistical indexes to buttress his arguments. The retired General also looked at the ranking of Nigeria on the poverty table which showed Nigeria as one of the 20 most poverty-stricken countries in the world; and the Northwest as the most hit and Southwest of the country as the least affected. Generally, the situation is by far worse today than it was then.

    Religious Angle

    “In his own contribution to the discussions the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Dr. Mathew Kukah stressed that poverty was one of the main causes of intolerance in the society, which in turn often leads to conflict and insecurity. He said people react to poverty in various manners and that they respond to conflict in ways they feel would bring them justice. He also blamed the deterioration of the situation in Nigeria on injustice and warned that injustice would continue to breed violence in the country unless something was quickly done to ensure equitable dispensation of justice. He explained that diversity should be seen as an advantage to the society as it enhances growth, “although in Northern Nigeria the reverse is the case due to the failure to manage it well in view of the crises the region now faces….”.

    Frank Talk

    In an earlier similar statement he made in January 2012 about Boko Haram and causes of insecurity, Bishop Kukah said inter alia: “We live in a state of ineffective law enforcement and tragic social conditions. Corruption has destroyed the fabric of our society. Its corrosive effect can be seen in the ruination of our lives and the decay in our society. The inability of the state to punish criminals as criminals have created the illusion that there is a conflict between Christians and Muslims. In fact, it would seem that many elements today are going to great extremes to pitch Christians against Muslims, and vice versa, so that our attention is taken away from the true source of our woes: corruption. As Nigerians, Christians and Muslims, we must stand together to ensure that our resources are well utilised for the common good. This is why, despite the hardships we must endure as a result of the strike, the Fuel Subsidy debate must be seen as the real dividend of democracy”.

    “Religious leaders across the faiths must indeed stand up together and face the challenge of the times by offering a leadership that focuses on our common humanity and common good rather than the insignificant issues that divide us. We therefore condemn in very strong terms the tendency by some religious leaders to play politics with the issues of our collective survival….”

    Conclusion

    With all these issues still prominent on the national table it may be interesting to ask a very vital question as the so-called National confab was put on the front burner as a matter of priority despite the overwhelming opposition to it by the well informed sectors of the society. Now, besides wasting another colossal sum of money on mere political patronage what has become of that jamboree? There is a great lesson for the incoming government to learn from all these. For things to take a proper shape, not as it is but as it ought to be, a ‘CHANGE’ for the better must be vivid and practical. The euphoria of the recent electoral victory has created such an unprecedented hope in the generality of Nigerian populace that the new government must not allow such hope to end up in another paroxysm of despair. God guide our leaders aright.

  • Dreaming the past

    Dreaming the past

    “When responsibility is entrusted to an incompetent person expect the end of time”   Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

    The above quoted Hadith was particularly in reference to leadership in any given society. When the Prophet was to send Mu’az Bn Jabal to Yemen as Governor, he asked him a pointed question as a way of confirming that his choice was right. He said asking Mu’az: “how will you govern the people in that country?” The latter said he would use the laws of Allah as contained in the Qur’an. Then the Prophet asked: “and if you cannot find a relevant solution in the Qur’an? Mu’az said he would use the Prophetic tradition (Sunnah). Then the Prophet further asked: “and if relevant solution is not found in Sunnah? Mu’az said he would adopt the consensus of opinions of learned scholars’’. Then, the Prophet asked: “and if you cannot get a consensus? Mu’az said he would use analogical deduction based on the three sources of law mentioned above. Thus, with Mu’az’s satisfactory responses, the Prophet technically confirmed the four sources of Islamic law by which any leader in an Islamic society should govern. The summary here is that governance should be by law and not by whim. 

    Thereafter, the Prophet counselled him as follows: “when you get there, my dear Mu’az, endear yourself to the people and do not be hostile. Be kind to them and do not be wicked. Be lenient with them and do not be harsh. Be considerate with them and do not be dictatorial. Be compassionate to them and do not be sadistic. Be sensitive to their plight and do not be indifferent. Be transparent and do not be seen as corrupt. Be a man of your words and do not be seen as a liar. Fulfil your promises to them and do not renege on such promises. Be trustworthy in utterances and actions and not be seen as a betrayer of trust. There are three signs by which a hypocrite is known. When he talks he lies; when he promises he reneges and when he is trusted he betrays. Remember that a leader is like a shepherd who cannot claim to be successful in a day until he has coasted home the last sheep in his flock. And every shepherd shall be asked by the Almighty Allah about what he does with the flock in his care’’. 

    Thus, the historic conversation between the Prophet and Mu’az confirms that good leadership is the bedrock of peace, decency and progress in any society. Today, many countries including Nigeria are dangerously restive because of deviation from that yardstick by irresponsible leaderships. A nation without a responsible leadership is like a body without head. Such a nation is likely to wander aimlessly and indefinitely in the wilderness of life just like the Egyptian gypsies of yore even as her citizens wallow helplessly in abject penury.                  

    Man ordinarily takes food for granted until he faces hunger where food is not available. He takes sound health for granted until he falls sick. He takes freedom for granted until he becomes a prisoner and he takes peace for granted until he faces war. One of the signs of living in a bad time is to keep remembering the good old days with nostalgia. Such is a confirmation that the past is better than the present. This is the situation in which overwhelming majority of Nigerians find themselves today in a country naturally and abundantly enriched with milk and honey.

    Who could have believed some years back that this same country called Nigeria might become a beggars’ own country one day? When political calamity engendered by economic mismanagement struck Ghana in the 1980s, Nigeria was the only rescue haven in Africa for hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians who trooped into this country for all sorts of jobs including menial ones. Thus, from that experience, one would have thought that a lesson had been learnt by Nigerian leaders never to subject the citizens of this country to a similar misfortune. But alas, the situation in the past 40 years or there about has proved otherwise. Ironically, the reality today, is that the citizens of this sixth largest oil exporting country in the world have become beggars being deported from a onetime calamitous Ghana that sought and got economic rescue in Nigeria. The same Ghana is today a model for Nigeria virtually in all things that is decent and civilized.

    God, in His infinite mercy does not create any living thing without adequate provisions for its existence. He endows individuals and nations with wealth in time and space as a trust. But He does not physically come down to manage such wealth for anybody. Neither does He give anybody the authority to redistribute it. But in the end, the managers of such wealth will be asked to render account on how they manage it.  Individuals and nations become humanly and materially rich only by Allah’s will at the place and time divinely earmarked for it. Any manipulation of such wealth by certain greedy cabal can only pave way for an untold calamity.

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    Like a fly in a bottle of wine which drinks and drinks till it dies in there, today’s Nigerian rulers see their position as an opportunity to suck Nigeria’s oil wells dry at the expense of the masses to whom those oil wells rightly and legitimately belong. These rulers have forgotten that if the oil reserve had not been divinely meant for this generation it could have been discovered and consumed by many generations long before ours.

    Nigerians of today have found themselves in a dream land. They are not only dreaming of what they ought to be as against what they are. They are also dreaming of the good old days in this same country that once gave them the confidence to build hope in their future as well as that of their children. That hope has practically become forlorn. Without necessarily sounding pessimistic, if there is any expectation for an ordinary Nigerian today, it is for death as despair is currently the song of destiny.

    Telling the history of Nigerian oil cannot end with the present generation. It surely extends to the future. Where are the founding fathers of Nigeria especially those who strove for the discovery of oil? Was the current  situation their dream? Even as Prime Minister and Premier respectively, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto borrowed money from banks to purchase a car and build a bungalow. They never possessed more than those even when their political contemporaries were accumulating empires.

    It is easier to be a legatee than to be a legator. The greatest spendthrifts are those who do not know the source of money in their possession.

    It is rather ironic that oil wealth which serves as the source of fortune for many countries is the main source of Nigeria’s misfortune. At least this country was economically steady and progressive before the so-called oil boom. At least there was no oil money when Nigeria went through a civil war for 30 months without borrowing one kobo. Why has oil boom become oil doom?

    In his nine years in office as Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon took the price of PMS from 6k to 9.5k per litre. After him was General Murtala Muhammed an obvious man of the people who never tampered with the price of oil till his death in 1976. It was General Olusegun Obasanjo who first took oil price by a leap moving it from 9.5k to 15.3k in his three and a half year reign from February 1976 to October 1979. In his own three years and three months in office, President Usman Shehu Shagari never tampered with the price of oil. And General Muhammadu Buhari who succeeded him maintained the status quo as he never increased fuel price even by one kobo during his 20 month rule. Thus, between 1979 when Obasanjo left office and 1985 when Buhari was overthrown, the oil price remained same and Nigeria did not fail as a nation.

    When the self-styled Military President Ibrahim Babangida took over in1985, his first focus was on oil. It was he who moved the price of PMS from 15k to 70k in his eight years of governance. But by far the greatest leap of oil price in Nigeria was introduced by Chief Earnest Shonekan an interim Head of State who took the price from 70k to N5 within the 87 days of his illegal rule.

    Then General Sani Abacha the maximum despot who forcefully high jacked power in October 1993 moved the price of PMS from N5 to N11 within his five years in office. That was an average of N1 increase per year. When Abacha died in 1998, General Abdul Salami Abubakar became the Head of State and virtually concentrated on oil. He can be called Nigeria’s Head of oil fields. It was he who took the price of PMS from N11 to N20 within the ten months he ruled Nigeria. When General Obasanjo returned to office as elected President in 1999, his first port of call was oil. Capitalizing on the precedent laid by General Abdul Salami Abubakar, he went ahead to raise the price of PMS from N20 to N70 within eight years he spent in office.                             

    Now, to prove that the removal of the so-called oil subsidy by previous rulers in Nigeria was a child’s play, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan decided to surpass them all even if all Nigerians would go to the gallows. After consultations with various stake holders and interest groups including traditional rulers, religious leaders, Labour Unions, ASUU and NANS, all of whom objected to any removal of subsidy at this precarious time, Mr. President decided to go ahead with his plan not minding any contrary opinion. His argument was that facilities like roads, hospitals, schools, refineries and rail system must be provided even if at the expense of the lives of Nigerians. And such removal must be done at a time when the feeding allowance of his family and that of his deputy is unilaterally fixed at about one N1billion per year. Mr. President is calling on Nigerians to sacrifice while the cost of his medical services in the Presidential clinic is about N1.2 billion even as another N300 million is earmarked for replacement of his kitchen utensils. For his trips abroad in 2012 alone about N10 billion is earmarked. But to show a good example of sacrifice for the nation, he and his Ministers have resolved to cut their salaries by 25% though we are not told the amount of each cabinet Minister’s salary. And nothing is said about their undisclosed allowances. That is exhibition of power for you.

    Thus by the signature of one man appended to an obnoxious policy imposed on the populace, it is certain that many lives will be lost, many marriages will collapse, many children will drop out of school and many agreements will crumble causing irreconcilable rifts. These did not happen in the time of Yar’Adua because there was no cause for such.   

    With YarÁdua as President, Nigerians did not see their newly rekindled hope ending up in a paroxysm of despair as the case today. Until he came on board as President, every other person that ruled Nigeria except Shagari and Buhari had claimed that there was subsidy on oil.

    Due to his short time in office, Yar’Adua might not have been perceived as a great achiever but the few achievements he recorded were quite remarkable. If those achievements had been sincerely inherited and maintained, Nigeria would not have been plunged into such a quagmire as we are witnessing today.

    At least with his few achievements, many ‘FIRSTS’ can be attributed to him in the history of Nigeria. For instance, he was the first Nigerian President to publicly declare his assets and those of his wife on assuming office. He was the first Nigerian President to publicly admit that the election which brought him into office was flawed thereby promising to reform the electoral process the machinery for which he sincerely put in place before his demise. And he congratulated the Labour gubernatorial candidate, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State who won a court case against a PDP Governor Olusegun Agagu in the spirit of political sportsmanship. Yar’Adua was also the first Nigerian President to confess that there was no subsidy on petroleum products and therefore reduced the price of PMS (petrol) from N70 to N65 per litre. Not only these, he was also the first Nigerian President to declare amnesty in a warless situation to ventilate a conducive atmosphere for permanent peace. If he were alive and remained in the saddle the present situation of uncertainties would not have arisen. Perhaps that was why he called himself a servant leader.

    Yar’Adua as a mortal being might have his own weaknesses, nevertheless, his short period as President wrought a remarkable foundation for this country. If he had not displayed the ingenuous tactics of declaring amnesty at the time he did, the story of Nigeria would have been quite different today.

    Nigerians continue to remember the good days of Yar’Adua today because the foundation he laid for a new beginning in those days has begun to crumble so soon in the hands of his successors. Just two years before her centenary celebration as a country, the President is telling Nigerians that the security problem in the country is bigger than a civil war and he can hardly handle it. In such a situation, who will save Nigeria from the prediction of the West? Meanwhile, the federal government has agreed in concert with Bornu State government to pay a compensation of N100 million to the family of Muhammad Yusuf, the leader of Boko Haram who was killed by the police in their cell in 2009. The big question is WHY NOW? And who will compensate the families of several scores of many other Nigerians who were killed subsequently?

  • Rising insecurity is not about ethnicity, religion

    Rising insecurity is not about ethnicity, religion

    In the last couple of months, the insecurity in Northern Nigeria has resurged and increased across the North Eastern, North Western, and North Central regions of Nigeria. This situation is evident with the recent onslaught by the Lakurawa terrorists that killed and injured people and robbed and destroyed properties in Kebbi and Zamfara States, some attacks and destruction in Katsina and Niger States, and the re-appearance of Boko Haram in Borno State. The resurgence of Boko Haram in Borno State resulted in the outcry last week by the Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum, raising concern with regards to this ugly development and calling on the federal government to make sure that we don’t lose in the war against terrorism.

     The resurgence of killings in Plateau State adds to the worry lines on the faces of Nigerians and adds another layer of concern and responsibility on the state and federal governments in Nigeria to contain this dangerous situation that is becoming combustible on the Plateau. The recent horrible killings and destruction of properties in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Area (LGAs), which have spread to other LGAs like Kanam and Wase, require a serious review and quick action. There is a need for serious and sustained interventions. Just 48 hours ago, 11 people were killed in Otukpo LGA in Benue State. The extrajudicial killing of some hunters from Kano State in the Uromi LGA of Edo State was less than a month ago. The laudable achievements made so far since the commencement of President Bola Tinubu’s administration with regard to the war against terrorism and insurgency are not lost within these two years.  However, as we approach the second-year milestone of this administration, it is imperative that all hands are on deck to efficiently and effectively tackle insecurity in Nigeria.

     I use this opportunity to commiserate with the families of all those who have lost their loved ones and properties in all the states where these horrible situations are happening. I also commiserate with those who are injured and those who have lost their properties. I pray that Almighty Allah SWT will repose the souls of all those who have been murdered in cold blood in all situations across this country. 

     I commend the Governor of Borno State, His Excellency Governor Zulum, and the Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Governor Caleb Mutfwang, based on the way and manner they consistently stay on top of situations in their respective States, recognizing the enormity of the challenges of this hydra-headed monster of insecurity in Nigeria. While I consider Governor Zulum the most proactive, brave, and consistent Governor in Nigeria, given the sustained onslaught of terrorists since he assumed office 6 years ago, I also commend Governor Mufuwang’s high level of emotional intelligence at such a crucial moment.

     The resurgence of insecurity is happening at a crucial time when the rainy season has commenced, with the early warning systems of flooding that will occur due to projected heavy rains. The situation in Borno State is clearly the resurgence of Boko Haram with the return of the use of IEDs, attacks on our military personnel, etc. I use this opportunity to also commiserate with the Nigerian armed forces for the loss of gallant soldiers on the battlefield. The ultimate prices that these patriotic Nigerians and their families are paying require deep introspection to contain this situation. We are losing critical national assets in terms of hardware, man, and material. This is happening at a time when the numbers of men and material in the armed forces are so meagre that losing even one soldier every day is a big blow to our armed forces and our Country. I do hope that there is to address the unravelling scenario.

     It is my opinion, that the lull in attacks by terrorist and kidnappers that the we experience from time to time in Nigeria, is part of the strategy of the terrorists to take tactical retreats, which the States and Country consider as quick wins, and rightly so, albeit, the terrorists actually retreat so as to regroup and return; which is one of many guerrilla warfare tactics that the Boko Haram insurgents, ISIS, ISIL, Lakurawa, etc. use to rest their troops, heal their wounded, retool, restock food, medical supplies, weapons, etc. They also retreat so as to re-energize/ re-align their logistics and supply chains and essentially re-strategize when necessary. This is a critical point that we should note. Therefore, I strongly advise that anytime there is a lull, we should consolidate our positions and also retool, re-kit, and upstage our resources and capacities to ensure that when the terrorists regroup, we don’t lose the ground we have gained. Consistency and sustainability are critical success factors.

     While ethnic and religious sentiments are key root causes of crises across Nigeria, it is also important to note that another critical cause of insecurity in Nigeria, as it is globally, is economic objective, which I term “economic terrorism”.  Therefore, the trend of always giving religious or ethnic connotations to the crisis on the plateau, for example, in my own humble view, is a huge mistake. I think we should expand our views and mindsets beyond ethnic and religious connotations. The concern that some well-meaning Nigerians have been raising is that we should be wary of giving all attacks, religious and ethnic connotations, lest we run into the trap of the perpetrators of this evil of multidimensional terrorism. I share the view that those terrorists are not actually religious or ethnic bigots; they are economic saboteurs and terror merchants who hide under the guise of religion or ethnicity as part of a “divide and conquer” strategy. For example, they could sometimes attack the Fulanis and their Cattle pretending to be other tribes, and then attack the Fulanis pretending to be other tribes, thereby pitching communities and tribes against each other to create a situation for plunder in the midst of the crisis. This is an age-old war strategy.

     From my experience of that terrain (North West, North East, and North Central), most of the crises are about the mineral resources in the region, and this has been happening for over 30 year. It is also important to note that various leaders and citizens of the various localities know where and when the economic sabotage is taking place, but they mostly looked away or pretended not to know. This is because they are either benefiting, or out of fear for their lives and the lives of their families.  The methodology of economic saboteurs and resource plunderers is very simple. They come, they cause distress, they scatter the place, and they take control, then continue plundering as the situations get worse. What better way for them to perpetuate their evil projects than to perpetrate religious and ethnic crises in a location that is sensitive to these issues, like Plateau State, for example.

     I am therefore sounding a strong word of caution in alliance with the position of His Excellency, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, that we must approach the issue in Plateau State and indeed other States, with a strategic mindset, to note that the issue is beyond ethnic and religious sentiments. Because when the terrorists attack or kidnap or kill or maim, they don’t ask for the tribal or religious identity of the victims. They don’t care what tribe or religion the victims are.

     To those who are trying to use the crises to score cheap political points, I say to them that it is not the fault of a particular administration. This is a long-standing issue, and Nigerians should rise above political, religious, or ethnic sentiments to score cheap political points. Of course, to whom much is given, much is expected and therefore I totally agree that we must remain consistent in constructively engaging incumbent administrations to deliver their mandates

     Importantly, political leaders should deliver their promise of good governance to citizens. Multidimensional poverty remains a critical divisive force and tool for terrorists to indoctrinate and radicalize our teeming, frustrated youths, especially when they are failed by their leaders.

     Furthermore, there should be a nationwide enlightenment campaign to bring to the attention of the citizenry the evil plot by these economic plunderers and their co-travelers within the establishment and the support they get from outside Nigeria. Based on what we have witnessed in the past years, there has been the involvement of some bad politicians, traditional rulers, and also some bad members of the armed forces. The approach should be holistic in trying to ensure that we get to the roots of the issues with a view to tackling the issues. Unless we rise above parochialism, ethnic and religious bigotry, and deal with corruption and bad governance, we will not defeat the hydra-headed monster of insecurity in Nigeria.

     The leaders of Nigeria, across all strata, all have a duty to work lockstep in the same direction for a better Nigeria. There can only be opposition figures and political parties if there is a united and prosperous Nigeria. There can only be sustainability of power of incumbency if there is a united and prosperous Nigeria. Indeed, there can only be Nigerians if there is a united and prosperous Nigeria. I hope this will sink in for all concerned.

     May Almighty God continue to Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Summary of Facts (RAMADAN)

    Summary of Facts (RAMADAN)

    Preamble

    At no time in the life of man can the true nature of human existence more manifest than in Ramadan. It is in that sacred month that Muslims reflect mostly on the purpose of their existence on earth. Some people fasted actively last year but are no more today. Some put their feet at the door step of Ramadan this year but never entered it. Some fell by the way side along the line. Some fasted with absolute faith in Allah and confidence in making use of the lessons of Ramadan. Some joined the spiritual train with no idea of their destination in the month.

    Segments of Ramadan

    At the beginning of this sacred month, an analysis was done in this column classifying the 30 or 29 days of Ramadan into three segments. The first segment was said to contain the first ten days of the month during which the blessings of Allah came to the faithful Muslims freely and in abundance. Except for meeting that segment with faith and good intention, there was no working for it. That segment ended after 10 days paving way for the second segment that began on the 11th day of Ramadan.

    During the 10-day period of the second segment, most fasting Muslims intensified worship (Ibadah) by spending their days and nights seeking Allah’s forgiveness and by chanting Istighfar. But such forgiveness was neither automatic nor free. Usually, conditions were attached to it. One of such conditions was for every fasting Muslims to admit his/her misdeeds and repent of them. The second was to voluntarily and genuinely seek forgiveness. And the third condition was to resolve never to return to such misdeeds again. To seek Allah’s forgiveness during the month of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was reported to have said that “if you want to speak with Allah, make your request on prostration. And if you want Allah to speak to you recite the Qur’an”. No one who abided by the above conditions and followed it scrupulously would ever be disappointed. Allah is both promising and fulfilling. He never reneges on His promise. In Qur’an 2:186 He promises thus: “…when my servants ask you (Prophet Muhammad) about me, tell them that I am very close to them. I answer the prayers of whoever seeks my favour if he seeks from me (without any intermediary). So, let them expect my favourable response and trust in me so that they may be rightly guided”

    Midway Ramadan

    Those second ten days were not just to consolidate on the blessings of the first ten days, they were also to prepare the fasting Muslims for the last ten days when they are expected to be fully liberated from the evil machinations of any Satanic forces.

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    Human life is not measured by the time or manner of his or her death. In Islam, death is neither the consequence of sin nor the repercussion of ignorance. There are instances when the sinless dies and the sinful lives. There are also instances when the learned dies while the ignorant lives. The schedule of life and death is not in the custody of any human being. Death is a debt which every living being owes and must pay.

    Not even Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was spared of death or given a foreknowledge of it. Allah ordered him to say in the Q. 10:49 thus: “Say I have not the power to benefit or to harm myself except what Allah pleases. Unto every nation is a fixed term. When their terms expire, they cannot delay it by an hour nor can they bring it forth before its time”.

    This is a verse of the Qur’an which the ignorant ones have severally quoted and interpreted according to their whim. In their imagination, they want the Prophet to claim infallibility to enable them call him a liar.

    Nostalgia

    Some people dream but never live to realise their dreams. Some look but never see. It is only in the imagination of man that age should be a factor of death. We shall all die at our scheduled time. Therefore, whoever is privileged to pass through this year’s Ramadan successfully should endeavour to add spiritual value to his or her life and not diminish in faith after the sacred month. We shall all account for that value before Allah.

    Just a few days back this year’s Ramadan came to an end by the grace of Allah and we began to look back with nostalgia to the good things we have done in the sacred month. For instance, we shall remember that in no other month of Hijrah calendar is the role of Muslim women more pronounced than in Ramadan. Like in other months, they display the roles of wives, mothers as well as that of their husbands’ confidants. But more than in other months, they exhibit their religious dedication in Ramadan.

    Even as they assist their husbands financially in maintaining the homes, they still take care of those husbands as well as the children and relatives domestically. At the time of the day when the husbands are knocked out by fatigue arising from fasting, the wives are still busy in the kitchen preparing Iftar for the household. At the time in the night when some husbands are engaged in Tahajjud, or are snoring in bed, the wives are already up in the kitchen preparing the Sahur for the family.

    Some of these women are pregnant. Some are suckling their children. Some of them are knowledgeable enough to do the Tilawah (recitation of the Qur’an) like their husbands. Some are even rich enough to finance the home fully or partially.

    And, in all these activities, they never feel tired. Where and when they feel tired, they never show it. If any month has ever depicted the virtues of women, it is Ramadan and the women activities in it. If for the reason of their activities in Ramadan alone, they deserve tenderness and dignified treatment in the hands of their husbands.

    We shall also remember the role of our children in the month and then endeavour to ensure the continuity of those rewarding activities.

    Allah’s greatest gift

    Children are Allah’s greatest gift to man. Their presence in a house is blessing. Their contribution is immense. Those are children for you. They can play the role of teachers just as they can do that of students. They learn fast, they teach fast. They are a major security for parents in any given environment.

    Children play both temporal and spiritual roles in a matrimonial life. And with such roles, they sometimes create hope for humanity and sometimes, they signal despair. They are the greatest asset in the possession of parents in time of peace. They are also the greatest weapon for those parents against the forces of Satan.

    Because of their innocence, they pave way for God’s forgiveness and quick acceptance of prayers. And, most importantly, children guarantee the continuity of man’s existence on earth. It is only with them that the fulfillment of today’s promise is possible tomorrow.

    In the Qur’an, children are mentioned many times and most often with reverence. They are treated in that glorious book as a major issue in the life of man. As orphans, they do not only have a role to play, they also compel some adults to play a role relating to them.

    As heirs to their parents, they have substantial shares in inheritance. Muslim children are like cubs. They follow the footstep of their parents or guardians very closely. They are often with their parents during the five daily prayers. They watch their parents as the latter give charity to the poor. They accompany them to public lectures and Islamic social gatherings.

    And, in Ramadan, children are part of the Muslims’ total spiritual package. They wake up with them at night. They fast with them in the day. They break the fast with them at sunset. They join their parents at Tafsir and night lectures. They participate in Laylatul Qadr and in giving Zakatul Fitr to the poor. Who can substitute the role of children in a matrimonial home?

    In all the above mentioned activities, children are supposed to be encouraged. At the tender age of seven, they should be guided to fast even if for half a day. And when they reach the age of 10 they should be strengthened in faith and in religious deeds. They should be provided with necessities of life both on the temporal and spiritual grounds. With these, they will grow up to become the fulfillment of their parents’ dreams.

    Most children grow up as good or bad citizens by emulating their parents. A child is therefore what his parents make him. If advantage of Ramadan is not taken by Muslim parents to mould their children into good Muslims what other platform will be used? Your child is your sun. Make hay with it while it shines.

    Neighbours

    We shall also recall how we related to our neighbours, especially the non-Muslims among them in that month. In Islam, neighbours are as important as the next of kin. And, Islam attaches so much respect to them. According to Bukhari and Muslim, Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was reported to have sworn by Allah three times saying: “he does not believe in Allah! He does not believe in Allah! He does not believe in Allah! And when he was asked who? He replied by saying: whoever creates fear in his neighbours atrociously”

    In another Hadith also reported by Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet was quoted as saying that “Whoever believes in Allah and the last day let him be nice to his neighbours and respect his guests”

    In the month of Ramadan a good Muslim is expected to wear a new toga of sobriety and repentance. He doubles his good deeds to his neighbours, extending generosity to them and cultivating a new atmosphere of friendliness and trust with them. He genuinely gives them as much impression of love and brotherhood as he does with his consanguine relatives.

    It does not matter whether those neighbours are Muslims or non-Muslims. Neither does it matter whether they are tribesmen or non-natives. The Prophet did not discriminate in his Hadith when he was admonishing on neighbours. And that is the inalienable position of Islam on neighbourliness. Whoever, had quarreled with his neighbours before Ramadan, therefore, let him/her go and settle the quarrel.

    Besides abstaining from foods, drinks and sex, in the month of Ramadan, a good Muslim must mind his relationship with people around him, including neighbours. Fasting in the month of Ramadan cannot be taken in half measure. Whoever wants to receive full rewards for his religious activities in Ramadan should treat his neighbours well. And, when Ramadan is over, the good deeds must continue. Ramadan is not made a pillar of Islam by accident. Its purpose is to return man to the original state of purity in which he was created. That Allah entrusts the world to man is also not by accident. Allah consulted widely before entrusting this great responsibility to man when the latter volunteered to bear it. This much is revealed in Qur’an 33:71 thus: “We offered the trust (of the world) to the heavens; the earth and the mountains they all turned it down and were afraid of it. Man undertook to bear it but he has proved to be insincere and deceitful”. For man to re-examine himself, repent over his misdeeds and become redeemed, therefore, Allah brought Ramadan as a means of rescue.

    Needs and wants

    It is in the month of Ramadan that Muslims reconfirm NEEDS rather than WANTS as the necessities required for the sustenance of their lives. Muslims, by their faith and orientation, are not, ordinarily, given to WANTS. They are more concerned about NEEDS than WANTS. The reason for this is not far-fetched. With NEEDS come contentment and satisfaction while WANTS are the cause of greed and avarice.

    Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, had provided the needs of every living creature even before its creation. But then, He (Allah) knew that of all those creatures man alone would go beyond NEEDS into the realm of WANTS. That was perhaps what informed the negative role which Satan assumed in the life of man shortly after the creation of Adam and Hawau.

    By introducing WANTS to man, what Satan did was to create a permanent job for himself in the life of man. Without WANTS the world would not have been what it is today. Blood would not have been shed. Money would not have been deified. Hatred would not have been known to man. And, man’s inhumanity to man would have been totally averted.

    The effect of WANTS first became known when Qabil (Cain), the first son of Adam preferred his brother’s wife to his. In the argument which ensued, Qabil (Cain) killed his brother Habil (Abel) and combined the latter’s wife with his. Thus, greed and avarice became ingredients of man’s culture. And WANTS rather than NEEDS became the domineering factor in the life of man. These are some of the anomalies in man that Ramadan comes to correct every year. You have witnessed this year’s Ramadan, hope you utilised your experience maximally. You don’t know whether or not you will have that opportunity again. Ramadan Karim in arrears!.

  • Could Trump’s Tariff put world in reverse gear?

    Could Trump’s Tariff put world in reverse gear?

    In the past couple of months, since the inauguration of President Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America (US), the world braced itself to the rhetoric of tariffs war that heralded the beginning of the Trump 2.0 administration. Subsequently, some days ago, President Trump converted rhetoric to action by rolling out a series of “reciprocal tariffs” across the globe, from the US neighbors, i.e. Mexico, Canada, Colombia, to the European Union Countries, and the United Kingdom, and more pointedly he placed the highest tariffs on China. President Trump did not spare US allies in the European Union, the Middle East, and Far East, including Jordan, India, Japan, and South Korea, who have shown unalloyed support for the US and also for President Trump over time.

     Trump is basically emulating the pre-2nd World War (WW2) global trade order, which became the precursor to WW2. With this dramatic trade tariff shift by the US, President Trump has triggered a global trade and investment disruption that will most likely reset global trade dynamics with concomitant effects on global supply chains, geopolitical, and socio-economic consequences.

     President Trump has basically gone to war with the world with his tariff offensive. Suffice it to say that President Trump stratified the various tariffs, which, according to him, are based on the reciprocity of the level of tariff, i.e., trade deficit or trade surplus as the case may be, between the US and other Countries. Of course, the understanding of trade deficit or trade surplus depends on how one sees the cup, “half full or half empty.”. Indeed, it appears that President Trump’s basis for going on with this tariff war is particularly based on the balance of trade of products, while ignoring the fact that there is a key component of global trade, which is “services”. The United States of America is the leading global beneficiary of global services trade, in which it is always in surplus to other Countries, and yet no Country has taken any adverse role against the US.

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     The scale and scope of the tariff is sweeping, even to the awe of some US citizens, including the US Congress, as they try to fathom how to proceed with the unravelling scenarios. This is especially so given that President Trump is using Executive Orders, thereby bypassing the constitutional requirement of legislation that should back such a far-reaching national economic policy. In the past couple of days, there have been protests by tens of thousands of citizens of the US, across almost all the States of the US, against President Trump’s Tariff policy

     Can tariffs really make America great again?

    There is a global consensus by economists, political strategists, and other thought leaders across the board that “in tariff wars there are no winners”. Already, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has stated that the US-China tariff war could slash global trade by 80%, especially given that the US and China (the two biggest economies in the world) account for 3% of world trade.  The DG, WTO also projected a 7% contraction of global GDP in 2025 based on Trump’s Tariff onslaught, which will essentially plunge the entire world into recession. This is in addition to other geo-political, environmental, and climate change dynamics that are already impacting the world in ways not experienced in recent human history.  Dr. Iweala’s position resonates with other global institutions like the World Bank, IMF, JP Morgan, etc. Indeed, this tariff war will also not be beneficial to the US, especially its citizens. The US stock market, as well as stock markets across Europe and the Far East, were plunging due to the uncertainties occasioned by this development.

     Within two days, the US Stock Market recorded the worst two days in US stock market history, when it lost about $6.6 trillion in value. The self-inflicted wounds are just the beginning. Critical stakeholders, including US businesses and economists, are raising concerns about the potential devastating impacts of the tariffs on jobs, including US jobs. For example, the American Soybean Association, through its President, Mr. Caleb Ragland, is already raising concerns that the tariff war will impact their market share and profitability.

     The US will certainly not be insulated from this tariff war, and the biggest victims of this tariff war will most likely be the US citizens.

     Canada Stands up to the Tariff War

    Canada has been consistently assertive on its readiness to counter all tariff escalations by President Trump, which is concerning given the close affinity and strong trade ties between the US and Canada before Trump 2.0.

     EU Finally Takes a Position

    Leaders of Europe, like the Danish Prime Minister, the UK Prime Minister, the outgoing and incoming German Chancellors, the President of France, and others have been taking hardline positions against the tariffs.  Two days ago, the EU countries reluctantly decided to implement countermeasures against Trump’s Tariffs by taking a position to apply a 25% tariff on the US, which could impact about 13.3 billion US Dollars’ worth of exports, with effect from the 15th of April, 2025. From the tariff framework of the EU, the tactic would particularly impact some US states that produce soybeans, Poultry, and motorcycles, which are among US’s major exports.

     However, the EU has suspended the countermeasures as Trump pauses the Tariff for 90 days. It is possible that President Trump is beginning to contemplate the consequences of his decision. Meanwhile, global markets immediately rose in response to the tariff pause, notwithstanding the uncertainties that continue.

     Trade dynamics will shift Eastwards

    Naturally, President Trump’s policy is redirecting global trade traffic from West to East. This is because President Trump has triggered a domino effect that could change the world trade order. Indeed, we have seen the overt and sublime shift of trade gears from West to East as the key drivers of trade, i.e., materials availability, cost, and availability of technology like AI, cost of production, more acceptable terms and conditions of trade, etc., will result in shifting alliances. The hostile rhetoric and actions of President Trump, including the Tariff slaps, will certainly cause forward-thinking countries to recalibrate their strategies to have a plan B and plan C, etc., at least for the next four years that Donald Trump will be in power.

     Accordingly, this could be the beginning of the end of West post-war globalization and the emergence of a new world trade order tilted more towards the East with better economic shock absorbers. Trump is overestimating his ability to maintain a chokehold on the world

     Some countries are already establishing free trade zones as safe trade (win-win-win) corridors

     China’s Response

    Expectedly, President Trump has made China the focal point of his global tariff war, Obviously, President Trump’s intention is to squeeze China into submission. But China has been preparing for Trump’s tariff war as it has been taking countermeasures to have economic shock absorbers in place to be able to weather the storm. China’s leadership has stated clearly that China will fight the tariff war to the finish, as can be seen by the retaliatory 84% Tariff in response to President Trump’s increase of China’s tariff to 145% three days ago.

     The days ahead are bleak for consumers of goods and services around the world, including US citizens who will feel the effects of the tariff in their pockets and livelihoods as an increase in inflation is imminent. Already one of Trump’s allies, Billionaire Elon Musk, has made a tacit cautionary remark about the need for a global free trade framework rather than the tariff war. It goes without too much saying that the tariff war will certainly backfire on the US. According to a US former Treasury Secretary, “the US is likely to slip into recession due to escalating tariffs – potentially costing 2 million jobs nationwide”, in the US. If that happens, it will be devastating for US economy.

      How ready is Africa?

    President Trump’s trade war is yet another wake-up call to Africans and their leaders to step up and face their realities. The withdrawal of aid by President Trump and the trade war will be a blessing to Africa when we step up the quality of governance across Africa. The beggarly way with which African Countries conduct themselves across strata of leadership and value chains, i.e., geo politics, resources management, economic growth and development, human capital and social development, security and safety, etc. MUST CHANGE and be undertaken from sovereign and strategic positions. WE MUST CHANGE OUR MINDSETS. We should not be crying as “victims” forever lest we remain the victims of our own actions or inactions forever.

     African Countries MUST address the fundamental issues of critical infrastructure deficit in terms of energy/power, and intermodal transportation, which are linked to energy as well. We must not just be productive, we must be competitive and self-sustainable. We must also deal with corruption. This sounds like a cliché, but that is the only way to prosperity.

     In conclusion, effectively and successfully navigating and outmaneuvering Trump 2.0 Tariffs strategy will be a function of building internal reliance and re-aligning global partnerships.